


greens

by kuntenjohnil



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Pizza Place, Attempt at Humor, Boy with Plant Taeil, Developing Relationship, Dialogue-Only, Fluff, M/M, Pizza Boy Johnny, Plants, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-09
Updated: 2020-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:28:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23076298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kuntenjohnil/pseuds/kuntenjohnil
Summary: Just a little story about a boy that likes arugula on his pizza too much and another boy that is fascinated with plant symbolism.(Inspired by Elevator music video)ps: This fic has been translated to Russian here https://ficbook.net/readfic/9308888
Relationships: Moon Taeil & Suh Youngho | Johnny, Moon Taeil/Suh Youngho | Johnny
Comments: 18
Kudos: 62





	greens

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! I attempted to write an all-dialogue fic as I thought that both of my previous fics were pretty much description and narration-heavy, so I wanted to try something new and see if this could work for me. Hope you'll enjoy it!

“Johnny hyung! Are you free right now?”

“Hm? Yes, I think… I just need to clean this station for a bit then I am good. Why?”

“I need you to deliver this pizza.”

“Okay, let’s see… salmon, cream cheese and arugula. Let me guess, 127 Apartment number 614?”

“.....wait, how do you know, hyung?”

“It’s Moon Taeil, I call him the arugula guy in my head. He literally asks for arugula on everything! Last time, he ordered five different pizzas with totally different toppings for all of them, except for one topping: arugula.”

“Wow, you really paid attention to this guy eh, hyung?”

“...what? No! I paid attention to his orders, not to him!”

“Uh-huh.”

“But Jae, what if one day he orders our sweet pizza… Do you think he will ask for arugula topping too?”

“.....hyung, can you  _ please _ not go there-“

“If he does order any of our sweet pizzas with arugula, will you still take that order though?”

“Well, as the co-owner of an artisan customized pizza place, don’t you think I have no choice but to follow whatever our customers order?”

“Good for you, because as the other co-owner of this pizza place, I will just lie to him and say that we run out of arugula.”

“Come on hyung, I don’t think arugula on our apple cinnamon pizza will be so bad… remember that one order of pizza with pineapple, lots of onions and caviar? Now  _ that’s _ what I call a nightmare.”

“Urgh don’t remind me, I don’t think I can forget the funny smell until today… Anyways, I’ll see you in a jiffy, Jae!”

“Send my regards to  _ your _ arugula guy, hyung!”

“Jae, no!”

——-

“Doyoung! Can you get the door, please?”

“Hyung, I am in the toilet!”

“Then quickly finish whatever you’re doing!”

“I am not done yet, hyung!”

“Urghh, fine! Hold on for a sec, please… hi! So sorry for the wait!”

“Hello, no problem at all! So, Moon Taeil-ssi, one order of salmon cheese arugula pizza?”

“That would be me.”

“Okay then, there you go... Enjoy our pizza!”

“Thank you, have a great day!”

  
  


“Oh hyung, you ordered pizza again?”

“Yes I did, and I am not going to give you any because you never help me open the door when the delivery arrives.”

“But, hyung! Your pizza always arrived at the wrong time! It was either when I was sleeping, not home, in the bathroom, or in the toilet…”

“Excuses, excuses. Now shoo, I want to continue tending my plants, and don’t dare to touch my pizza.”

“...fine. It’s not like I would be really tempted with your pizza either hyung, you arugula freak.”

“What did you just call me, Kim Doyoung?”

“Nothing, hyung!”

——-

“He was holding a different plant today.”

“.....care to elaborate who we are referring to?”

“The arugula guy. He was holding a different plant today.”

“......plant?”

“Jae, I told you last week! This arugula guy was always holding a potted plant every time I delivered his pizza, and the plants were always different each time. I wonder if he has like, a huge collection of potted plants or something in his apartment.”

“Why didn’t you check their balcony? It should be visible from the ground floor, right?”

“Jae, I know I am tall, but his apartment is on the sixth floor forgodsake! I won’t be able to see them!”

“What kind of plants though? I mean, the ones you’ve seen so far.”

“Hmmm, I think I’ve seen him with a bonsai, cactus, I don’t know the names of the rest though… but today was bamboo. Yes, a tiny, cute potted bamboo.”

“O…kay? Then why don’t you just ask him the next time he orders our pizza?”

“Jae, imagine you’re in his shoes. Your pizza delivery guy asks you ‘you seemed to be holding different plants every time I was around, do you like collecting plants?’, won’t you feel creeped out?”

——-

“You seemed to be holding different plants every time I was around, do you like collecting plants?”

“...really? I didn’t even notice that, oh and I am holding a pot as well today!”

“Yeah, last week it was… bamboo, I think? Oh my god, I am so sorry, I hope you don’t feel creeped out with my curiosity-“

“No, not at all! Yeah I remember, I was actually preparing my potted bamboo for pickup at that time! It was nearing  _ Chuseok _ right? A lot of people bought lucky bamboo as a gift for their relatives for good fortune and longevity.”

“...wow there is such a thing as plant symbolism too? Not just flowers?”

“Yup, not just flowers! Personally, I like getting potted plants as gifts instead of flowers because I can keep them for longer time and watch them grow. There is such satisfaction that I feel when I see my plants growing bigger, giving us a breath of fresh air everyday… oh my god I am sorry, I must be taking your time! I literally can’t shut up everytime I am talking about my plants, my friends usually find me boring once I start ranting about them!”

“No no no, it’s okay! In fact, I am actually interested and I want to know more about plant symbolism, since I have never heard about it before!”

“Aren’t you busy for… I don’t know, any other pizza deliveries maybe?”

“Well, if there is any delivery that I have to do, Jaehyun will definitely call me. Do you mind explaining more about your plants, Moon Taeil-ssi?”

“Not at all, it would be my pleasure! And please just call me Taeil, I am 27 this year! And you are?”

“Johnny Suh, and you can call me Johnny. I am one year younger than you, so can I call you Taeil hyung?”

“Sure! Would you like to come in?”

“Thank you, hyung! So… maybe we can start from the plant that you’re holding right now?”

“Yes, this is what we call a money tree. People usually give this to their friends or acquaintances when they start a new business, so that the business can give them wealth, good fortune, and be successful. I got three orders of these today, and they will pick them up tomorrow morning.”

“Ohhh no wonder it feels like I have seen them somewhere, I think I saw them at the front of some shops, I never knew that it means good fortune… What about this, hyung? The contrasting color looks interesting.”

“This is snake plant, and this plant is very famous for its ability to purify the air, that’s why a lot of people give this as a housewarming gift.”

“Ahhh, no wonder I see a number of them on the corners of your living room, hyung.”

“Ohhh, you are really observant, Johnny! Yes, it is actually common to have snake plant indoors as we have to keep them in indirect light.”

“I see… what about this hyung? The leaves are pretty!”

“This is ivy plant! Ivy is actually really easy to take care of as it prefers slightly drier soil so you don’t have to water it everyday, and it only needs to be fertilized once a month. This is also a plant that symbolizes a new friendship, so if you don’t mind, I would like to give you a pot of it…”

“Oh, really? Wow, I don’t expect this, thank you so much! I promise I will take care of it well!”

“You can always ask me if you have any question about taking care of this plant, no worries!”

“Really? Then maybe... you can put your phone number here, hyung?”

——-

“.....hyung, did you steal this plant from your arugula guy?”

“What? No! He gave me this as a symbol of our new friendship!”

“That’s… mad cute, hyung.”

“I know, right? He literally taught me different meanings of plants, do you know that plants have meanings too Jae, not only flowers? And Taeil hyung works as a… what is the word? What do you call someone who works like a florist, but for plants instead of flowers?”

“You mean horticulturist?”

“Yes, that! He keeps some of his plants on the balcony of his apartment as well, so his apartment is just so... green, so nice! I really love being there.”

“Uh-hum. And the owner of the apartment as well, I assume?”

“Jae…”

“Hyung, this is the first time after so many years that you become so invested and interested in someone, and since he gave you a plant right after knowing you, I guess he is a nice person too?”

“Yes, very. He explained the meanings of each plant to me very patiently, and he is soft-spoken on top of that… Can he  _ please _ order a pizza tomorrow so I can visit him again?”

“Hyung, both of you are now friends, right? You know that you can just visit his house since you are… friends?”

“I hate how you are smarter than me sometimes, Jae.”

“I beg to differ, hyung. It is not sometimes, but  _ all _ the time.”

——-

“....a newborn puppy?”

“Yes, hyung. A newborn puppy.”

“...so your friend just got a newborn puppy and you want to give him a plant as a congratulatory gift?”

“Yes, hyung.”

“...Johnny, I like it when people buy my plants, but don’t you think it is better to give them more useful gifts like… teething toys, maybe? Or treats? New bowls?”

“...yeah, maybe you’re right, hyung.”

“Aww, don’t feel so dejected, Johnny! It is very nice of you to initiate giving a congratulatory gift for a newborn puppy, not everyone thinks like you!”

“But I have come all the way here and taken your time, hyung…” 

“It is okay! It’s not like I am busy at the moment! Do you want to come in and have some tea, if you’re not rushing? And maybe I can explain to you more about plants and the occasions when you can give them as a gift?”

“That will be great, hyung! Thank you so much!”

“No problem! Okay, please have a seat, let me boil some water first…”

——-

“You did not visit Taeil hyung today, hyung?”

“I really wanted to, but I don’t know why out of all days, all suppliers decided to meet me today! I still have to take coffee beans from the roaster, and since I usually meet him in the afternoons, I don’t know whether it will be too late to meet him after I come back from the roaster…”

“Will it take long for you to take the beans?”

“Hmmm, twenty minutes-ish? Why, do you need me to make a delivery?”

“Yes. I am going to make an order of barbeque smoked duck pizza with extra mozzarella and arugula, as ordered by Moon Taeil, 127 Apartment number 614. If you take the beans now, then the pizza should be ready by the time you arrive back here~”

“I am taking the beans now, bye Jae!”

——-

“Doyoungie, get the door for me please! That must be my pizza!”

“....hyung, are you taking revenge on me right now? Is that why you’re in the toilet?”

“What the hell, no! I am still having a stomachache! Doyoungie please, my pizza is waiting, quickly open the door!”

“Tch, is it the pizza that is waiting or the delivery guy… hello! Sorry for keeping you waiting!”

“Oh, hi… barbeque smoked duck pizza for Moon Taeil?”

“Yes, thank you so much! I will make sure my baby eats it well!”

“O-oh… okay, enjoy our pizza.”

  
  


“Yah Kim Doyoung, who allowed you to eat my pizza?!”

“Hyung, it is only a slice! And consider this as a thank you gift, because I opened the door to get your pizza  _ and  _ I got one important piece of information for you.”

“And what would that be?”

“One more slice and you’ll get it.”

“What? I thought you said that one slice you ate just now was for the information?”

“Nope. That was for opening the door. If you want to get the information, you have to give me one more slice because this pizza is so damn good and nothing is free in this world.”

“Tsk, no wonder you’re a business major… Okay, just take it!”

“Nice! Okay, the information is… that delivery guy has a crush on you, hyung.”

“...give me back my pizza, Kim Doyoung!”

“Why, why?! I thought you’d be happy with this information??”

“I didn’t pay you one slice of pizza for a false information!”

“Hyung, how dare you say that it is a false information! I literally did an experiment to obtain such information, it was with an absolute effort!”

“Uh-oh, I don’t sense anything good from this… what experiment?”

“When I received the pizza, I said that I would make sure  _ my baby _ eats this well.”

“Kim Doyoung!! What the hell!! You made it sound like you’re my boyfriend!”

“That was the point, hyung! And you should’ve seen his reaction, he looked so dejected I almost said there and then that I was joking!”

“Now you’re delusional.”

“Hyung, I swear I am not! Come on hyung, he definitely wouldn’t come here almost everyday if he doesn’t have any crush on you!”

“...who knows he is really interested in plants?”

“That’s bullshit, hyung! Okay, do you want to bet? I bet he won’t be the one delivering pizza here the next time you order because he is too heartbroken to even see your face!”

“Kim Doyoung, you… I am speechless.”

“Come on hyung, one regular pizza! I will buy you one regular pizza if he is still delivering your pizza!”

“...okay, I will just humour you this time, Kim Doyoung. Get ready, I will make sure to order extra toppings for everything, including the arugula so that you won’t take any!”

“Uh-huh, let’s see hyung, let’s see.”

——-

“For you, hyung. Extra shot and extra cream, just how you like it.”

“Oh, thanks Jae…”

“No offense hyung, but you really look like someone stole your lunch money ever since you came back from your arugula guy’s apartment. Now spill.”

“He… he already has a boyfriend, Jae.”

“What? How did you know? Are you sure they aren’t just friends?”

“He was the one opening the door just now, and he even called Taeil hyung ‘my baby’. Now tell me if they are just friends.”

“...you got a point there, hyung.”

“Well, I should’ve known from the start. I had a crush on him from the very beginning because he is just so cute, tiny, and smiley… and as I got to know him better, he is such a kind and patient human being on top of that… a person as perfect as him definitely wouldn’t be single, don’t you think?”

“...yeah, I gotta agree on that, hyung.”

“It will be hard for me to just forget what I feel about him Jae, it will be  _ very _ hard.”

“I understand, hyung. Anything that I can help you with?”

“Is it okay if you are the one delivering the pizza the next time he orders from us? Please?”

“Sure hyung, no big deal.”

“Thank you Jae, I owe you big time.”

——-

“Hi, John- oh, I am sorry…”

“Hello! Moon Taeil-ssi, one order of vegetarian pizza with extra arugula?”

“Oh, yeah… that would be me…”

“There you go… enjoy our pizza, and have a good day!”

“So- sorry… May I know your name?”

“Jaehyun. I am the co-owner of the pizza place, together with Johnny hyung.”

“Jaehyun-ssi, is Johnny okay? He is not sick or something, right?”

“He is healthy, no worries! He is at our shop today. Do you want me to pass any message to him?”

“No, it is just… he came here pretty often before, and he suddenly didn’t come at all, so I am worried…”

“He is at least healthy, if you know what I mean, hyung… sorry, is it okay if I call you hyung?”

“It’s okay, no worries! Oh, it is a relief that he is healthy, but Jaehyun… Is it okay if I need you to pass him something more than a message? Something… physical?”

“Sure, no problem! And what would that be, hyung?”

——-

“What is this, Jae?”

“A plant, hyung. A plant in a pot.”

“As far as my eyes can identify, yes it is, Jae. Even my three year old niece can see that. I mean, what plant is this?”

“This is golden pothos, hyung. That’s what Taeil hyung told me. He also told you to google the meaning.”

“Oh, okay… let me just… wait… did I- did I see this right? There should be another meaning for this, right?”

“What does it mean, hyung?”

“It says here…. Longing.”

“Hyung! That means Taeil hyung misses you! Damn, both of you are too sweet I might be getting diabetes from all of these-”

“But, Jae! His boyfriend!”

“Which boyfriend? Wait… you mean the one living together with Taeil hyung? Tall, sharp eyes, bunny teeth?”

“...yes? That’s his boyfriend, right?”

“Oh my god, you and your dramatic ass, hyung… that’s his housemate!”

“Wait… how did you know that he is Taeil hyung’s housemate?”

“I saw him taking the pizza from Taeil hyung’s hands and running to his room right after, and he was screaming something along the lines of winning a bet and to not mess with a business major or something like that… then Taeil hyung said sorry for his uncultured and unmannered housemate right before giving me this golden pothos… oh my god, hyung! His housemate was just messing with you! He wanted to see if you really liked Taeil hyung and he maybe told him right after! Oh my god, your crush is requited, hyung!! I knew it!!”

“Whoa whoa, Jae, please… you and your theories…”

“No, hyung! This is a proven fact, not just a theory! Taeil hyung looked really sad when he saw that you weren’t the one delivering the pizza to him this morning, he also mentioned that you didn’t come to visit him for some time so he was worried! He really misses you, hyung!”

“How could you conclude that he misses me?”

“Oh my god, I really have to do all of the thinking work here… the plant hyung, the plant!!”

“...oh.”

“Yes. Oh.”

“What should I do?”

“Hyung, seriously… I better be the best man at your wedding and the godfather of your child at this point… okay, you gotta do this-”

——-

“Hyung, someone is looking for you!”

“Hm? Okay, please ask them to wait for a bit, I will be there once I finish watering this one!”

“I am sure you will be happy to see your guest, hyung!”

“....hm? What did you say, Doyoungie?”

“Nothing, hyung! I will be in my room if you need me!”

“...Johnny?”

“H-hi, hyung… how are you?”

“I am good, Johnny, I should be the one asking that question… are you okay? You did not visit me for some time, is everything alright?”

“Y-yeah, everything is alright now, hyung… sorry for going MIA and not telling you anything…”

“It’s okay, I am glad that everything is alright now with you.”

“And hyung, thank you for the golden pothos as well as… the message… so I want to give you this as a reply…”

“What is that? Oh… a lavender plant? Johnny… you know what this means right?”

“Yes, hyung. This plant represents my feelings towards you since the first time I met you. I know we haven’t known each other for long, but I just can’t hide it anymore from you…”

“Johnny, you- I am-”

“It is okay if you don’t feel the same way hyung, I just hope that we can still be friends and I can still visit you-”

“Johnny!”

“...yes, hyung?”

“I haven’t even finished yet!”

“Oh, sorry hyung… What did you want to say?”

“At first I didn’t know that I would feel this way, but I actually missed you a lot when you weren’t here. I miss your company, your smile… then I realized that I’ve been in too deep.”

“Thank you for reciprocating my feelings, hyung… you don’t know how happy I am right now…” 

“I am happy too, Johnny… well, except for the fact that you bought this lavender plant from another shop, not mine.”

“Hyuuuuung!”

“Nope, still angry.”

“...free pizzas for a week?”

“With extra arugula?”

“Extra arugula, deal.”

“Thank you, boyfriend.”

“You’re most welcome, boyfriend.”

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> Asdsgsjdlk thank you for reading until the end. This piece was whipped up on a Sunday in just one day and unbetaed, so I apologize for any grammatical or typographical error and if this is not to your liking. 
> 
> Oh and also, thank you Al for the lovely prompt! 
> 
> Kindly leave kudos and comments (constructive ones are very much welcome too!), or scream about johnil with me @kuntenjohnil on twitter and cc. No worries, I don’t bite!


End file.
